M. Saravanan

Thursday, September 24, 2009

I am reproducing an article which was released by Bernama yesterday and made to the pages of almost all newspapers in the country. Please feel free to give your views on this.

Palanivel Throws Succession Ball Back To Samy

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel has thrown the ball back to party chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu on when the long-serving MIC president will vacate the post. "Many questions and pressures have been exerted on the transition of power in MIC. I have been working closely together with Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for many years now," he wrote on his blog on Wednesday. "He has been preparing me for the top post for many years. In fact, during several campaign meetings he declared that I have experience, maturity and the capability to take over from him and lead the party," said Palanivel who retained his post at the recent MIC elections. Since the polls, there has been no let up over how long Samy Vellu intends to stay after being returned unopposed for an 11th term. It heightened further over the weekend with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak saying that he would discuss a successsion plan with Samy Vellu. The outspoken MIC leader, who has been at the helm of MIC since 1981, said he was prepared to hand over the leadership of the party if Palanivel was ready. "I'm certain he must have a good plan in his mind, especially after having supported me as the deputy presidential candidate for the second time in the Sept 12 elections. He will know when will be the best moment to hand over the reins," Palanivel said. A former journalist who became Samy Vellu's press secretary before entering politics, Palanivel praised the MIC leader as "an iconic leader in Malaysian history" who had led the Indian community through some trying times. "A lesser man would have perished long ago," he said. Palanivel was confident that members would continue to support him after the crucial party elections in which an overwhelming majority of candidates backed by Samy Vellu won. "The new leadership is made up of many new faces and the delegates have voted smartly by bringing in change where they saw fit. It is a good mix of experience and young blood," he added. -- BERNAMA

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

The MIC Elections has concluded and now its time to get back to work and deal with pressing matters. Over the last two months many MIC politicians were occupied with the party polls and since now it has come to a close, it is time for us to get to work and close ranks. MIC politicians need to live-up to the newly set Key Performance Index (KPI) by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Our KPI, he said, is to win back the hearts and minds of the Malaysian Indian community. On other matters, results of the election favoured candidates backed by the president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. The Deputy Presidency was won by Datuk G. Palanivel while the three vice-president seats went to Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Datuk S.K. Devamany and myself. The leadership of the party is spanking new except for the top post. The party is on its path towards the right direction by bring in new faces. A total 14 out of the 23 Central Working Committee members are new and young faces. It is my sincere hope that this would be a new era for the party and its members in an effort to further strive to serve not only the Malaysian Indian community but also the entire Malaysian race. Thanking you and God Bless.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Read an intersting article in Bernama today. Some of us Netizens have set-up several polling sites for Malaysian Indians to vote, who they think would be the best candidate to hold positions in the party. This is a good move to allow some of us to see how the leaders are being evaluate. These sites can be viewed at: www.micelection2009.com, www.micpolls2009.com, www.micelections2009.com and micfuture2009.blogspot.com. Thank You and God Bless.

Monday, August 31, 2009

I had just returned from the annual National Day celebrations. It was a very low key affair compared to the previous years. It was held at the Parliament square and attended by some 2,000 people.

It was a bit nostalgic for me to witness this event after watching parades of years gone-by. The previous National Day parades were held at Dataran Merdeka or state capitals with so much pomp and splendour.

This year's celebration was scaled down due to the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic which has swept around the globe claiming hundreds if not thousands of lives. This is the price we have to pay living in a border less world, where travel had become a norm rather than an exception.

However small the celebration, it is a day for us to ponder and think of the nation's independence. This comes at the right time when there are numerous people taking a racial and religious slant on issues that crop-up from time to time.

The 1Malaysia concept propounded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is another reminder that we Malaysians must live our lives as Malaysians and not as Malay, Chinese and Indian.

While our race may differ, but our nationality is one -- Malaysian. No citizens of this nation should ever forget that. We are Malaysian first and only then are we Malay, Chinese or Indian.

We may be in a racially slanted political party but that party should operate in the context of 1Malaysia. It is my Merdeka wish that all of us Malaysians do away with the habit of branding people using their race, religion or even colour. We are Malaysians and Malaysians we would be, whatever come may.

I am back...to blogging that is. As many would know the MIC would hold it's party election on Sept 12. This is regarded by many as a water shed election for the party to pick the next line of leaders, to take MIC to a higher plane in the future.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who was elected unopposed at the MIC presidential election in March this year, has picked his own line-up of leaders for the party polls.

The 1,464 delegates to the MIC assembly on March 12 would pick a deputy president, three vice presidents and 23 central working committee (CWC) members.Incumbent deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel is the president's choice to retain the post.

The president's men for the three veep seats are Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S. K. Devamany and myself.

A total 27 candidates have been named by the president to fill in the 23 CWC seats.

As for the deputy presidency, Datuk Palanivel would be challenged by vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan and former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam.

While this looks like a tough fight, Datuk Palanivel seems to have the edge over the other two candidates based on his support from Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. Another factor is the track record of the deputy president, in this case Datuk Palanivel.

In the veep race, all three of us -- Datuk Dr Subramaniam, Datuk Devamany and myself -- seem to be leading the seven cornered race. The other candidates here are Datuk S. Balakishnan of Johor, Datuk V.K.K. Teagarajan of Kuala Lumpur, P. Subramaniam of Selangor and Mariyayee of Negeri Sembilan.

I do not intend to offend any of the other candidates but delegates that I have met, have openly declared their support for the presidential trio. Some say that we would win.

However, I am cautious. Politics is not something that is taken for granted. There are still 12 days to go before delegates to go the polls and in politics 12-days is a very long time, especially when things can change overnight.

In the meantime, I am currently on a nationwide campaign tour to ensure delegates voted for the right people.

This is all for now. I would be updating this blog from time to time on issues that crop-up in this party election. However, I would refrain from naming people in my articles as this could jeopardise their chances.

Please bear with me as the last few months had been hectic and this had prevented me from blogging actively. I am enclosing a Bernama article released today. It can be viewed at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newspolitic.php?id=436994

About Me

My name is M. Saravanan. Currently serving as the Federal Territories Deputy Minister. I am also the MIC Vice-President and the party's Federal Territory head. I am starting this blog with the hope of getting closer to the people of this beloved nation. I hope to hear your comments, brickbrats or whatever it might be. Thank you for your contribution and God Bless.